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"The Last Five Years" with Guest Ralph Meranto

"The Last Five Years" with Guest Ralph Meranto

Sat, 10/12/2013 - 12:00pm - 1:00pm

From the Tony Award-winning composer of Parade, comes the recent off-Broadway hit musical that looks at love forward, backward and inside out. Emotionally powerful and hysterically funny, this inventive musical follows a couple during five years of their relationship. "His" story is told from beginning to end, while "Her" story is told from end to beginning, allowing the audience to see their past, present and future simultaneously.

Join Host Robert Hammond and his guest RalphMeranto, Artistic Director of the Rochester Jewish Community Centerâ€™s CenterStage, as they discuss this avant-garde musical and other works by Jason Robert Brown. Directed by Meranto, The Last Five Years is on stage at CenterStage through October 20.

Jasonâ€™s first solo album, â€śWearing Someone Elseâ€™s Clothes,â€ť featuring his band The Caucasian Rhythm Kings, was named one of Amazon.comâ€™s best of 2005, and is available from Sh-K-Boom Records. His collaboration with singer Lauren Kennedy, â€śSongs of Jason Robert Brown,â€ť is available on PS Classics. Jasonâ€™s piano sonata, â€śMr. Broadwayâ€ť was commissioned and premiered by Anthony De Mare at Carnegie Hall. Also in the wings: an musical adaptation of the 1992 film â€śHoneymoon in Vegas,â€ť in collaboration with screenwriter/director Andrew Bergman. Jason is also the composer of the incidental music for David Lindsay-Abaireâ€™s â€śKimberly Akimboâ€ť and â€śFuddy Meers,â€ť Marsha Normanâ€™s â€śLast Dance,â€ť David Marshall Grantâ€™s â€śCurrent Events,â€ť Kenneth Lonerganâ€™s â€śThe Waverly Gallery,â€ť and the Irish Repertory Theaterâ€™s production of â€śLong Dayâ€™s Journey Into Night,â€ť and he was a Tony Award nominee for his contributions to the score of â€śUrban Cowboy the Musical.â€ť His scores are published by Hal Leonard. Jason currently teaches musical theater performance and composition at the University of Southern California.

As a conductor and arranger, Jasonâ€™s recent New York credits include â€śUrban Cowboy the Musicalâ€ť on Broadway; Oliver Goldstickâ€™s play, â€śDinah Was,â€ť directed by David Petrarca, at the Gramercy Theatre and on national tour; and William Finnâ€™s â€śA New Brain,â€ť directed by Graciela Daniele, at Lincoln Center Theater. Jason was the musical director of the pop vocal group, The Tonics, with whom he performed at the 1992 tribute to Stephen Sondheim at Carnegie Hall (recorded by RCA Victor); he was the conductor and orchestrator of Yoko Onoâ€™s musical, â€śNew York Rock,â€ť at the WPA Theatre (on Capitol Records); and he orchestrated Andrew Lippaâ€™s â€śjohn and jen,â€ť Off-Broadway at Lambâ€™s Theatre (Varese Sarabande). In 1994, Jason was the conductor and arranger of Michael John LaChiusaâ€™s â€śThe Petrified Prince,â€ť directed by Harold Prince, at the Public Theatre. Additionally, Jason served as the orchestrator and arranger of Charles Strouse and Lee Adamsâ€™s score for a proposed musical of â€śStar Wars.â€ť Jason also took over as musical director for the Off-Broadway hit â€śWhen Pigs Fly.â€ť Jason has conducted and created arrangements and orchestrations for Liza Minnelli, John Pizzarelli, Tovah Feldshuh, and Laurie Beechman, among many others.

Jason studied composition at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., with Samuel Adler, Christopher Rouse, and Joseph Schwantner. He now divides his time between Los Angeles, California and Spoleto, Italy. Jason is a proud member of the Dramatistâ€™s Guild and the American Federation of Musicians Local 802 & 47.